Flash them in the light
Vibrate them in the night

Glass flat water clear as a crystal
No blemish detected not even a ripple
4 wheel drive brought me here
A tent some food and a cooler of beer

A week here will be just fine
All alone, to clear my mind
Commune with god in my outdoor church
Untangle my thoughts out of this lurch

A couple of fishing rods, tackle and bait
Looking for dinner, fish to pull my line straight

Put on a chub on let it sink to the bottom
that one sits, take a walk, see if I can spot them
One rod out, fly rod in hand, ease around the edge
Cast out with my fly, I see a flash by a ledge

Trout hits my fly and the fight is on
Work him in until his fight is gone

Dinner in the creel, I look around
Other rod bent over clear to the ground
Run over to it and set the hook
Something pulls back,  deep I can't give it a look

The fight is on reel screams out drag
whatever this is will cause me to brag
I win the fight, a 42 inch pike
Stocked for the week, I'll go on a hike

Fished till the last possible moment
approaching storm is a formidable opponent
bounding from wave to wave I skip.
speed is king on this trip.
lightning and thunder growl behind me,
rain chases like a cheetah quickly
I see the point and make the turn.
cut wide and around the sand bar I burn.
under the dock we go to hide,
from the storm, the boat and I.

Well the Josh Abbot Band sings Matagorda Bay
but I’m pretty sure it’s all the wrong way
should be I’ve been walking it all day
casting a shrimp or mullet along the way
whether the river, the surf or the bay
or even  the intercoastal waterway

You can never go wrong fishing here
from the bank, the beach, or even the pier
maybe spring, or maybe fall
you will always have a ball
with your dad, in laws or college friends
it always pays in dividends

Of reds, whiting, croaker and trout
usually followed by a cookout
sometimes black drum or maybe a ray
either way, make them pay all day
casting a squid or maybe a mullet
the fish always bite, take it and tug it

After dark on a green light
try as you might
you just can’t find a lure they won’t bite
when the tide changes and shrimp are running
two at a time is for what you are gunning
tired, and sore, but you are tough

All night long until enough is enough
then to bed for some shut eyed dreams
then up again, as the morning sun gleams
do it again, as it never lasts

Creating memories of the past
to share with friends
and also the kids
of Matagorda Bay

Cedar Creek Fishing Back in the day
flipping under docks and casting all day
nosing out my buddy trying to win the bet
it’s a dollar a fish and it’s not over yet

Catching bass and crappie and sometimes a perch
driving the boat always on the search
for the next big bass, or sometimes a beer
fishing lights after dark on the end of a pier

White bass and hybrids, pulling ******* the line
laughing and joking and feeling fine
slabs and traps, and a Texas rig
every now and then just taking a swig

Tequila sunrise worms or watermelon seed
the fish are biting and are on a feed
describing a bite pulling on my buddies sleeve
casting in my spot is a big pet peeve

All-star rods, worm bag that’s full
casting out waiting on the Tap, Tap, Pull
set the hook, watch the fish tail walk
it’s been a great day out on the stalk

Swim along chasing shad
Under docks with shade
Tail walk just for the fun

Shimano reel filled with 14 pound trilene.
St. Croix rod, medium heavy, backbone is mean.
bullet weight slid on the line after run through guides.
teflon coated truturn hook tied on with palomar, ready for the ride.
watermelon lizard on and ready to cast.
flick of the wrist and the lure flies far and fast

Lands on the bank, two inches from the water
crawl it down the side of an old log, hollow.
pulse the rod tip up and down while lifting.
let the lure drop back down, trolling motor keeps us from driftng.
reel up the slack do it again all the way to the boat.
do it again, like dad taught me rote.

We troll on down the bank looking for a likely place
the boat dock up ahead is usually an ace
ease on up, perfect flip under and all the way back
let sink and sit, slowly reel up slack

Bump, then thump, then **** and run
snap the rod tip way up high and fish on.
rod tip down, fish running under dock
drag schreeching, pull back lines not moving just like its locked

Fish jumps on other side, has me wrapped around a piling.
change angles give it a pop, nothing, know the metal is filing
down the line. Please don't break, pop it once again.
the line begins to move and slide, pulled by power of fin.

The fights back on, in open water now
which, fish or angler will be made to cow.
fish goes deep, uh oh nothing but slack.
reel fast now, got to get her back.
fish running right at boat, trying a different tact.

Not the right one, I catch back up and **** once more
the she is, grab the net, worn out from the chore.
off the hook and on the scale, in the live well dunk her.
pull out the phone, TPWD calling share a lunker.

15 pounder in the well headed to the marina
parks and wildlife said that's where to meet her.
off to the Texas fisheries center in Athens to spawn.
back at home few days later relaxing on my lawn.

Package arrives  fiberglass replica  of my fish
awaiting word, if I can live release her, is my wish.
wish granted a few days later, back out in the lake
she tail walks and swims off while cutting a graceful wake.

Boat skims across low rollers
in the summer breezes flow
headed to a fishing spot
underneath a white lights glow

Its dark and there is no moon
are the fish ready to bite
the first cast will tell the tale
I'll see when the line goes tight

Glowing white Rattle-trap tied
to my 14 pound test line
cast the bait into the light
the line spools off in its familiar wine

Reeling in I can feel the baits vibration
I detect a bump, thump and bite
rip the rod upwards, set the hook
the rod bends downward under its fight

Hear the wind hum off the line
like a taut guitar string
I fight and reel the fish in
it is the nature of the thing

Silver white with broken stripes
shiny scales, and sharp dorsal spines
hopefully one of many
on this night that I will find

Another cast up to the dock
and another awesome bite
It looks like its going to be
one heck of a fishing night

300 hundred fish caught
off of twenty lighted docks
ready to get some sleep,
head home, throttle to its stops

Casting chicken liver off the levee
tap and pull, rod starts bouncing
set the hook, and reel it in
all its fins and tail a'flouncing.

Costa sunglasses cut the glare
of the green rippled lake light,
three baited lines in the water,
patience, ready for another bite.

Waiting, waiting in the sun
as mosquitos buzz around me,
a slight breeze blowing from the west
they say its when the fish bite best.

Water snakes, colored orange and black
float upon cattail rafts, soaking heat,
ignore the splashing of my cast,
one of my lines goes suddenly slack.

**** the rod, the fight is on!
Catfish tugging toward the bottom,
he so enjoyed my ****** bait,
my fillet knife, though is his fate.

Channel, blue or flathead
whatever fish will try;
will be swiftly cleaned
and served deep fried.

Filleted and battered thick with beer
the oil is bubbling and smoking hot,
hear the sizzle as they fry up crisp,
fill my plate straight from the ***.

Chest deep in cool water
bait caster in hand
Texas rigged worm
tequila sunrise color

Casted out
pull, pull, stop
reel in the slack
repeat, repeat

Thump, wham
line begins to run
reel down
set the hook

Bass surfaces
sky high jump
run and pull
reeled in

Unhooked
shimmering green scales
released to fight again
on another fishing day